( 2 ) 
Cultivation . — Much  has  been  done  this  year  to  Improve  the  general  upkeep  and  culture  of 
the  various  classes  of  plants  in  Peradeniya.  Bad  soil  and  want  of  manure  are  our  great  drawbacks.  i 
Most  of  the  smaller  ornamental  plants  in  the  central  borders  have  been  arranged  to  more  advantage,  ! 
much  pruning  and  cleaning  of  the  larger  ones  done,  and  many  fresh  specimens  put  out,  Roses  do 
not  as  a rule  succeed  here  ; those  hitherto  cramped  in  beds  near  the  store  have  been  removed  and 
planted  out  at  equal  distances  in  well-prepared  sites  near  the  conservatory,  and  it  is  hoped  they 
may  do  better  under  these  conditions. 
The  Herbaceous  Ground  has  been  well  looked  after,  the  young  Gardener  in  charge  having  taken 
a real  interest  in  it.  I find  it  improved  in  tidiness  and  appearance.  Many  plants  of  much  interest 
are  planted  here,  and  nearly  all  are  labelled. 
The  Nurseries  have  been  laid  out  afresh  ; the  beds  now  number  93,  are  made  straight  and 
uniform,  and  are  well  supplied  with  a fresh  stock  of  plants  for  distribution.  Much  improve- 
ment has  also  been  made  in  the  number  and  quality  of  the  stock  of  plants  in  bamboo  pots,  and 
large  numbers  of  fruit  trees,  palms,  and  foliage  plants  have  been  propagated  for  distribution. 
Much  labour  is  annually  expended  upon  the  extensive  tract  of  these  grounds  known  as  the 
Old  Arboretum,  in  weeding,  cleaning,  pruning,  and  planting,  but  we  are  unable  to  make  much 
impression  on  its  wild  character.  A much  larger  labour  force  is  needed  to  treat  this  portion  of  the 
Gardens  in  the  way  it  should  be  treated. 
During  the  year  the  following  species  were  noticed  in  flower  for  the  first  time  : — Paulo- 
wilhelmia  speciosa,  Nematanthus  longipes,  Steriphoma  paradoxum,  Stenandrium  Lindeni,  Ixora 
grandiflora,  Sclerocarya  caffra,  Couroupita  antiliana  (Cannon-ball  tree),  Rhodaninia  trinerviSy 
Exostemma  carihlmum.  Cassia  nodosa,  Adenanthera  microsperma,  Aristolochia  gigas,  var. 
Sturtevantii,  A.  sp.,  Epidendrum  falcatum,  Cosloggne  macrophylla,  Hort.  Bogor.,  Angrcecum 
Ellisii?  Stemona  tuherosa,  Aloe  sp.,  Limnocharis  Hiimholdlii,  Gyrtostachys  Rendah. 
Our  Lodoicea  palm  (“  Coco-de-mer  ”),  now  forty-six  years  old,  which  has  been  looking  some- 
what unhealthy  for  some  years,  was  taken  in  hand  in  June.  A trench,  2 ft.  wide  and  3 ft.  deep, 
was  dug  all  round  it  at  a distance  of  6 ft.,  and  all  the  numerous  roots  from  large  trees  near  by 
were  removed.  The  old  soil  was  then  carefully  taken  out,  and  new  soil,  mixed  with  leaf-mould 
and  manure,  added  in  its  stead. 
Several  old  trees  having  become  dangerously  decayed  were  removed,  including  a large  one 
of  Eloeocarpus  amcenus  near  the  Museum.  A very  large  rotten  old  tree  of  Terminalia  Belerica  in 
the  centre  of  the  fernery  fell  of  itself. 
A fine  set  of  twenty-one  new  garden  varieties  of  Ganna  were  received  from  the  Agri- 
Horticultural  Society  of  Calcutta,  and  have  flowered  well,  and  been  greatly  admired. 
It  may  also  be  mentioned  that  more  seeds  of  Victoria  regia  were  received  from  Madras  in 
July,  and  three  seedling  plants  raised  from  them  were  put  out  in  the  tank  in  the  Gordon  Gardens, 
Colombo,  where  they  have  duly  flowered. 
Weather. — Another  dry  year  on  the  whole,  but  the  months  June,  October,  and  December 
were  very  much  wetter  than  usual,  especially  December,  when  double  the  average  (of  the  last 
eleven  years)  fell.  February  and  March,  however,  were  very  dry,  and  at  the  end  of  the  latter 
month  the  Garden  pond  was  lower  than  I have  ever  before  seen  it.  The  total  rainfall  for  the  year, 
77’56  in.,  was  9-72  in.  below  the  average  of  the  past  ten  years,  but  the  number  of  days  on  which  it 
fell,  170,  is  16  above  the  average  for  the  same  period. 
monthly  rainfall 
is  shown 
in  the  following  table  : — 
1895. 
1895. 
Rainfall. 
Rainfall. 
Inches. 
Rainy  Days. 
Inches. 
Rainy  Days 
J anuary 
3T8 
7 
July 
4-51 
...  19 
February 
1-08 
3 
August 
5-86 
...  26 
March 
• •• 
3-74 
6 
September 
4-59 
...  22 
April 
• • • 
5-33 
...  14 
October 
...  17-87 
. ...  27 
May 
. , 
2-96 
7 
November 
1-78 
8 
June 
• • • 
12-28 
...  16 
December 
...  14-38 
...  15 
Total,  77‘56  in.  on  170  days. 
The  greatest  fall  during  any  twenty -four  hours  was  6-58  from  December  27  to  28.  This  being 
more  than  fell  during  the  whole  of  February,  May,  and  November.  The  remarkable  feature  of 
this  table  is  the  very  small  fall  in  November. 
The  heavy  rains  after  long  drought  at  the  end  of  March  caused  a great  building  of  termites’ 
nests  all  over  the  Garden.  No  less  than  371  large  nests  were  dug  out  in  two  weeks. 
Visitors. — The  book  kept  at  the  lodge  for  the  purpose  was  signed  by  as  many  as  2,283 
foreign  visitors  (that  is,  not  Ceylon  residents).  This  is  an  increase  over  that  of  last  year  of  310,  or 
257  more  than  that  given  for  1893,  which  was  the  highest  yet  recorded. 
3.— Hakgala  Garden, 
I have  a very  full  report  on  this  Garden  from  Mr.  Nock,  the  energetic  Superintendent,  who 
is  continually  and  in  every  way  improving  its  usefulness  and  beauty,  so  far  as  our  means  will 
allow.  Under  his  skilful  attention  it  has  now  become  nearly  what  I had  hoped  to  make  it  when 
1 commenced  remodelling  it  in  1881. 
